New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Junior shortstop SUSIE MATSUTANI (Gallup, NM/Gallup) was 5-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs in game one and freshman right-hander REANNON TROGDON (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Regional) had eight strikeouts in a complete-game two-hitter in the nightcap as New Jersey City University swept a non-conference doubleheader from Baruch College, 12-4 in six innings and 3-1, Thursday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.

 

On a day more suited for hockey than softball, the Gothic Knights battled a relentless, gusty wind blowing in off of Newark Bay, temperatures hovering around freezing, and even snow flurries, to snap a six-game losing streak and improve to 6-14 overall. The Bearcats fell to 3-9 with their fourth straight loss. NJCU leads the all-time series, 3-0.

 

***********************GAME 1: NJCU 12, Baruch 4 (6 innings) *********************

Matsutani, who set a career-high for hits in a game, led a 16-hit Gothic Knight attack in the opener, and she had as many hits as the entire Baruch lineup with her 5-for-5 performance. Freshman third baseman CHRISTEN HALL (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional) knocked in three RBIs, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs. Freshman centerfielder CHRISTINA PROSPERO (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) was 2-for-2 with three RBIs, one run and two doubles.

 

Also for the Knights, Trogdon, at first base in the opener, was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI while senior rightfielder VANESSA SOLARES (Palisades Park, NJ/Palisades Park) went 2-for-4. Freshman leftfielder TARA PERRUCCI (Wallington, NJ/Wallington) and freshman second baseman LACEY SKOWRONSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Holy Family Academy) each scored twice.

 

Sophomore right-hander ANDREA DELUCREZIA (Belleville, NJ/St. Mary’s-Rutherford) earned the win (3-7), allowing one earned run (four total) and five hits over 6.0 innings. She walked six and fanned five over 90 pitches.

 

The lone Baruch player with multiple hits was freshman shortstop Idelissa Lluveres (Bronx, NY/Aquinas) who was 2-for-3 with one RBI.

 

NJCU scored two runs in the first and three in the second to jump ahead 5-0. The Bearcats closed within 5-4, thanks to three unearned runs in the fourth inning, but RBIs by Perrucci and Hall in the bottom of the frame extended the lead to 7-4. After a Matsutani RBI single in the fifth for an 8-4 advantage, the Knights reached the eight-run rule by scoring four times in the sixth to win 12-4.

 

Trogdon and Prospero had back-to-back RBI doubles to make it 10-4. Matsutani ended the game with a two-out RBI single to score Skowronski who had an RBI hit earlier in the inning.

 

***********************GAME 2: NJCU 3, Baruch 1 *********************

In game two, Trogdon was masterful, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before it was broken up with one out. In 7.0 innings, she allowed no earned runs (one total) and two hits, fanning eight against two walks for the win (3-7).

 

No NJCU player had multiple hits, but Matsutani, Skowronski and Solares each collected RBIs for the Knights.

 

In defeat, senior Ally Stamatiades (Astoria, NY/William C. Bryant) pitched well, allowing three earned runs and six hits, with four strikeouts and two walks in 6.0 innings. She took the loss, falling to 2-4.

 

NJCU received all of its offense in the second inning. Skowronski put the Knights ahead with an RBI single, bringing home Prospero who had walked. Solares followed with an RBI double to score Skowronski for the eventual game-winning run, and she crossed with NJCU’s third run on an RBI single by Matsutani. Baruch scored its lone run in the fourth inning when NJCU committed two errors.

 

NJCU will return to action on Friday, April 6 with a non-conference softball doubleheader against John Jay College at the Gerrity Complex, beginning at 3 p.m. Baruch will visit SUNY-Farmingdale on April 6 at 1 p.m.